Harrow Council has approved plans by developer Dandi Living to redevelop the site near Harrow and Wealdstone Station, demolishing the empty building to make way for 223 co-living units – in which occupants typically have their own bedrooms and bathrooms but share kitchen and living areas.
When the council’s planning committee met to debate the plans on March 12, a resident of nearby Goodstone Court raised “serious concerns” about loss of sunlight, loss of privacy and the impact on local public transport.
They said: “If this new tower block is built that will block the sunlight, it will cause a shadow and seriously limit the amount of sunlight we get in our flats – which means a lack of vitamin D.”
On potential issues at Harrow and Wealdstone train station, they added: “It’s at full capacity, passengers cannot get on trains as it is. Every morning passengers who can’t squeeze on have to wait for the next train – sometimes the second train. These extra apartments are going to make that even worse.”
The former Kodak admin office site, which has been vacant for many years. Credit: Harrow Council
Savills director Mark Thompson, who was speaking on behalf of the developer, said the scheme would “transform” a long-vacant brownfield site and help to address “a housing crisis we are all facing”.
“We have taken steps to make sure the development does not encroach or impact in any way on our neighbours and the development will contribute towards local infrastructure, highway improvements, street tree planning, and supporting training and employment opportunities.”
A council officer added that, whilst there were “some shortfalls” regarding sunlight loss, these were not enough to refuse the scheme in an “opportunity area” – key locations identified in the Mayor’s London Plan as being suitable for new homes.
A computer-generated image of the Kodak office redevelopment. Residents had raised concerns about the height of the building, as well as the impact the wider redevelopment has had on crime. Image Credit: TP Bennett
The new building will have six, seven and eight-storey sections, with a maximum height of 30 metres, and comprise two ‘towers’ joined by a central single-storey section.
Plans show the ground floor of the six-storey ‘western tower’ will include cycle parking, communal space, and a laundry room, with a communal kitchen and dining area, a games room, and access to a roof terrace on the first floor. The co-living rooms would be located on the remaining floors, with an additional kitchen and dining area on the fourth floor.
The ‘eastern tower’ will reach up to eight storeys in part, with the ground floor made up of employment space, as well as a communal laundry room and bin storage
The first floor will comprise a gym, yoga studio, and toilet facilities, with co-living rooms again found on the upper floors alongside lounge and dining areas on the second, third, and fifth floors. A library, toilets and roof terrace will be located on the seventh floor.
A financial viability assessment concluded that the scheme would return a deficit, meaning it will not provide any contributions towards the borough’s affordable housing target.
The council officer suggested co-living is “affordable in a different way” and, if the scheme provides a surplus in terms of profit, there is a mechanism by which funds can be provided to support affordable housing contributions in the borough.
The scheme, which had been recommended by officers, was ultimately approved with five members voting for and two abstaining.
